Automatic gas cut-off device



Sept. 28 1926. 1,601,276

. F. WEBB AUTOMATIC GAS CUT-OFF DEVICE Filed Jan. 26, 1925 IN VEN TOR. F/A/VK WEBB A TTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 28, 1926 rnAnK BB, or 'rqnaa von, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC GAS CUT-OFF DEVIGE.

Application filed January Myinvention relates to automatic cut-off devices for gas mains, and the purpose of m invention is'theprovision of an automatr ca ly operated cut-oft deviceihaving the desirable qualities of simplicity, cheapness, and durability, and which operates upon anyreduction inpressure of gas or'other fluidin a mainto"discontinue the fiow or gas to or through branch or teedipipea thus preventing subsequent leakage through unlighted burnerswand danger'ozt asphyxiations or explositions,

It is also a purpose of my invention to provides'an'automatic'gas cut-oft device of the above described character embodying a valve carrying membernormally urged to a positiontin which the valve is closedbut responsive to a predetermined pressure of [gas to maintain a position in which the valveis open,and ahmanua'lly operable element for moving the member tothe Ilast mentioned position. Y I V I wil ldes'cribe only one *form of automatic gas out-off. device embodying nay-invention and will then point outthe novelfea-tures thereof in claims.

In tl-ie accompanying drawings, I Figure 1 is a view showing in vertical longitudinal section oneform of automatic gas cut off device embodyinggmy invention in applied position within agass'upply pipe.

Figure2 is a "fragmentary vertical sectional view of the device with the movable parts thereof in the other extreme position from that shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 88 of Figure '1.

Referring specifically to-"the drawings in which similar reference characters referto si'milar parts in each of the views, my invention ini'ts present embodiment comprises a body B of metal or other suitable material constructed-toprovide interiorly thereof a chamber 15, and an inletpassage or duct =16 having its inlet end exposed at one end of the bod y and constructed to provide "a conical socket 17. The outlet e'ndof the passage l6 communicates with'the top o'fkthe chamlOGI 15. Thebody B is also formed with an -outlet passage '18,-the-inlet"end of which communicates with the *top'. of *the chamber '1'5 and is const ructed to provide a conical socket 19. The outlet'endof-the passage 18 conimu'nicates with a chamber-20 in atubu- 'lar eixt'ension 21 exteriorly threaded to per- 26, 1925. Serial No. 4,931.

mitconnection with one section 22 of a gas supplyplpe. On the other end of the body 1s formed an exteriorly threaded collar 23 which is engaged by the threaded end of a pipe section24, the latter in turn being threadedly connected oflthe gas supply pipe.

The body B, is formed with a slot 26 and extending thronghthe slot is a member 27 in the (form of 'an elongated plate which is mounted for rocking movement by means of a pin 28. The walls of the slot 26 archinclined asshown to permit the member 27 to occupy the inclined'position shown in Figure 1, the;lower.portion of the member being disposed within-the chamber 1 5 and contacti-ng with an inclined surface 29 which consti tutesa continuation of the lower wall of the slot 26. This lower end of the member 27 is formed with a conical valve 30 adapted to snugly fit within the socket 19 to close the entrance end of the passage 18. A port 31 is formed in the member 127 which is normally closed as shown in Figure 1 but'which is opened and inregistration with the outlet end of the passage 16 when the member 27 is in the position shown in Figure 2." The upper end. ofthe member 27 is formed with a conical head '32 adapted to set within the socket17 when the'member is inthe position shown in Figure :1. A port 33 is formed in the member 27 so as to extend through the he'adl 32 and thus providecominunication be tween the pipe section'24and the passage 16 when the m'ember27 isin the position shown in Figure l. I i

For the 'purposeof moving the member .27 from the position sho'wn'in Figure 2'to thatshown in Figure 1, I provide a manually operable element-34 which is in the -formi=ofjaring rotatable in the pipe section '24 by trunnions 85, one of which is provided with a handle 36 which is adapted to 'be'g'ripped in. rotating the ring.

In practice, 'the normal pressure of gas flowing through the supply pipe maintains the member 2'? in the extreme position shown in Figure 1 wherein the head 32 is within the socket 17, the port 31 closed, and the valve 30 in open position-whereforefit will gas 'is free to flow through the be seen that porter), inlet'passage 1'6, chamber 15, outlet -passage 18, and into the c'hamber20; As

the member '27 willoccupy this extreme po- "long as the pressure of gas'remains normal,

sition, but as soon as there is any appreciable reduction in pressure, the member 27 will gravitate to the other extreme position shown in Figure 2. The movement of the member to this position is a result of the fact that that portion of the member above the pivot 28 is heavier than the portion below the pivot. In this extreme position of the member J7 the valve 30 is seated within the socket 19 so as to close the inlet end of the passage 18 and thus prevent the further flow of gas to the chamber 20. In this position of the member 27, the port 31 is in registration with the outlet end of the passage 16 permitting gas to flow into the chamber 15 and thus prevent the gas acting on the member to return the latter to the other extreme position.

\Vhen desiring to restore the flow of gas through the device, the member 27 can be returned to the extreme position shown in Figure 1 by rotation of the element at in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 2 thus moving the valve 30 to open position and positioning the member so that the pressure of gas will act to retain the member in this position against its tendency to gravitate to the other extreme position.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of automatic gas cutoff device embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An automatic gas cut-oft device comprising a body having a valve chamber therein, an inlet passage communicating with the chamber, and an outlet passage communicating with the chamber, a member supported for movement in the body to occupy two extreme positions and normally urged to one extreme position, a valve adapted to close the outlet passage when the member is in non-urged position, a port in the member through which gas can flow to the inlet passage when the member is in the non-urged position whereby the pressure of the gas is caused to maintain the member in the non-urged position, a head formed on the member, the entrance ends of the passages formed with conical sockets, and the head and valve being of conical form to tit respectively in said sockets.

2. An automatic cut-oit device comprising a body having a valve chamber therein, an inlet passage communicating with the chamber and an outlet passage communicating with the chamber, a member supported for movement in the body to occupy two extreme positions and normally urged to one extreme position, a valve adapted to close the outlet passage when the member is in non-urged position, a port in the member through which gas can flow to the inlet passage when the member is in the non-urged position whereby the pressure of the gas is caused to maintain the member in the non-urged position, an element manually rotatable to move the member from the urged position to the non-urged position whereby an opening of said valve is effected.

3. An automatic gas cut-oii' device comprising a body having a valve chamber therein, an inlet passage communicating with the chamber and an outlet passage communicating with the chamber, a member supported for movement in the body to occupy two extreme positions and normally urged to one extreme position, a valve adapted to close the outlet passage when the member is in non-urged position, a port in the member through which gas can flow to the inlet passage when the member is in the nonurged position whereby the pressure of the gas is caused to maintain the member in the non-urged position, a ring mounted for rotation to engage the member and move the latter from the urged position to the non-urged position to eilect an opening of said valve.

An automatic gas cut-oh. device comprising a body having a valve chamber therein, an inlet passage communicating with the chamber and an outlet passage communicating with the chamber, a member supported for movement in the body to occupy two extreme positions and normally urged to one extreme position, a valve adapted to close the outlet passage when the member is in non-urged position, a port in the member through which gas can flow to the inlet pasage when the member is in the non-urged position whereby the pressure of the gas is caused to maintain tl e member in the non urged position, a pipe section connected to the body, and a ring rotatably mounted in the pipe section to engage the member for moving the latter from the urged position to the non-urged position to effect an opening of said valve.

5. An automatic gas cut-ofi' device comprising a body having a valve chamber therein, an inlet passage communicating with the chamber and an outlet passage communicating with the chamber, a member supported for movement in the body to occupy two extreme positions and normally urged to one extreme position, a valve adapted to close the outlet passage when the member is in non-urged position, a port in the member through which gas can flow to the inlet passage when the member is in the non-urged position whereby the pressure of the gas is caused to maintain the member in the nonurged position, a valve for closing the port and means for supporting the valve so as to maintain the latter in open position by the predetermined gas pressure and to automatically close the valve When the gas pres sure is reduced from the predetermined pressure.

6. An automatic gas cut-off device comprising a body having a valve chamber therein, an inlet passage communicating with the chamber and an outlet passage communicating with the chamber, a member supported for movement in the body to occupy tWo extreme positions and normally urged to one extreme position, a valve adapted to close the outlet passage When the member is in non-urged position, a port in the member through Which gas can fioW to the inlet passage When the member is in the nonurged position whereby the pressure of the gas is caused to maintain the member in the non-urged position, a valve for closing the port and means for supporting the valve so as to maintain the latter in open position by the predetermined gas pressure and to automatically close the valve when the gas pres sure is reduced from the predetermined pressure.

FRANK WEBB. 

